President William Ruto has announced that the World Bank has endorsed Kenya’s ambitious plan to establish a National Infrastructure Fund aimed at expanding the country’s road and rail networks, irrigation systems, and energy generation.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, President Ruto highlighted the Bank’s support for the proposal to construct 50 mega dams, which would increase land under irrigation by 2.5 million acres. “With 85 percent of Kenya classified as arid and semi-arid, irrigation is our pathway to sustainable food production,” he said, noting that rain-fed agriculture on the remaining 15 percent of arable land has reached its limits.
The National Infrastructure Fund is expected to mobilize resources for the construction of 50 dams, 20,000 kilometers of rural roads, dualization of 2,000 kilometers of highways, and generation of an additional 10,000 megawatts of electricity to support manufacturing and industrialization.
President Ruto also emphasized the World Bank’s continued support in the social sector, including education, health, social protection, and human capital development.
